The Houndstooth Gourmet

Recently, Frank and I took a trip to Valentino’s New York Style Pizzeria and Restaurant in search of delicious pizza by the slice. Pizza by the slice is not all that common in the DC area-not that there isn’t good pizza-there is. The recent surge in boutique pizzerias has added another dimension to the dining scene-but at a much higher price point. What is lacking is the neighborhood pizza joint. A pizza joint is where you go when you want a quick, cheap and informal bite to eat in a no frills atmospher (read: frescoed walls and “Old Blue Eyes” velveting the airwaves) that lets the pizza do all the talking. And when the owner hails from Queens, I’m going to listen!

Valentino’s is such a place with it’s large counter where a panoply of pizza pans showcase at least a dozen pies ranging from classic NY style to buffalo chicken. The menu also offers traditional Italian-American favorites such as pasta e fagiole (pasta and bean soup), calzones, a littany of subs, baked ziti, lasagna, ravioli and manicotti. Veal and chicken parmesan as well as veal pizziola remind me of the little independant-red checkered tablecloth places I grew up eating at in Philadelphia. It was a great family meal out-which was a real treat back then.

Frank and I ordered the NY and Sicilain style pizza. Our slices were heated up in the large pizza ovens and in about 5-6 minutes, we brought our slices to a table. Each table is stocked with grated parmesan, garlic powder and oregano- the essential trinity and I use them all.

Our NY style slice was delicious. A thin layer of slightly sweet red sauce sat below gooey melted mozzarella. The dough was blistered only a bit-I could stand for more. Each slice folded perfectly and reminded me of strolling the boardwalks in NJ with a slice in hand.

The Sicilain slice had thicker dough and was dressed mainly with cheese and a little red sauce below- both melding with the dough. Fresh tomatoes and red onions dotted the top and oregano was baked right in. If you’re a fan of Sicilian style pizza, I’d recommend this. Personally, I’m a thin crust girl.

Valentino’s has dine in, carry out and delivery available. I only wish it were closer to home, as my best option for pizza delivery is Domino’s-I’m a closeted fan who is fascinated with the “pizza tracker” and adores their chicken kickers. Just don’t tell anyone…..

Valentino’s New York Style Pizzeria & Restaurant
4813 Beauregard St.
Alexandria, VA
(703) 354-8383

Tags: pizza, Alexandria, Restaurants by Ramona
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Bashed neeps is an old beloved term used by the Scottish for mashed turnips, which typically accompanied their haggis. And that’s how the Scot’s referred to a vegetable they liked! Others, like early New Englanders, ate turnips in stews if only to prevent scurvy. Times have changed and turnips are now available at most every market. They are eaten raw in salads and slaws, simply steamed and seasoned, or combined with other vegetables to make gratins and purees.

Yet, turnips are still often overlooked as an enjoyable vegetable. Sure, throw it into a pot of stock to add depth to the flavor, but ask even adults if they like turnips and you probably will get a look of “yuck”. Last Sunday, at the Dupont market, I bought a few turnips as well as turnip greens (which are among the most delicious deep leafy green you will ever find)*. The young woman who rung up my purchase asked how I intended to use them. She explained that she had tried them recently-just steamed and seasoned-and didn’t care much for them.

Now if the vegetable vendor is at a loss, perhaps you are too and I’d like to tell you how to get more turnip into your diet, or the diets of your loved ones both young and old. Now, I’m not going to get all Jessica Seinfeld on y’all and tell you how fabulous turnips are when secreted away in brownies or cookies and how your wunderkind will eat them without a clue. I’m going to tell you how to combine turnips with other more familiar tubers to get a sense of how to use and cook with turnips. Even Goeth said “Turnips are good, but they are best mixed with chestnuts”.

Nutritionally, turnips offer potassium, iron, vitamin C and are a mere 36 calories per cup.

Here’s a highly nutritious recipe which combines turnips with another nutritional powerhouse-yams. Seasoned, roasted and mashed; turnips and yams are easy, loaded with vitamins and phyto-nutrients, and delicious. Calcium from low-fat sour cream adds even more dietary value to this dish. Last, just a little butter is added for extra flavor!

Puree of Roasted Turnips and Yams

serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 turnips (2 lbs.) peeled and cubed into 1 1/2″ pieces
• 1 large yam (1 lb.) peeled and cubed into 1 1/2″ pieces
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon kosher salt (1/2 Tablespoon table salt)
• 1/4 Tablespoon ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup low-fat sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Place turnips and yams onto a foil- lined, large baking sheet. Pour extra virgin olive oil over vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Place pan on middle rack of oven and roast until fork tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir and shake pan occasionally for even roasting.

Remove vegetables from pan and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add butter and allow to melt. Add sour cream and mash or puree (I use a hand held immersion blender) until all lumps are gone. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

*Here’s the turnip greens sauteed, and stuffed into a turkey meatloaf. This was extra lean turkey and came out dense and dry-I’m working on a better recipe to post so that all the turnip can be used creatively. If you’ve got any suggestions for a lean yet moist meatloaf-let me know. Thanks!

Tags: turnips, vegetarian, Recipe by Ramona
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Check out how to make this classic bistro salad in my weekly DC Foodies post at http://www.dcfoodies.com/.

Tags: DC Foodies entry, salad, eggs by Ramona
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Start them young, I say! With the warmer weather this Sunday, strollers and little market goers were out in force, despite the leaner pickings at the Dupont Farmers Market. Sunnyside Farm was a standout today, and I looked to them to buy my vegetables in lieu of Next Step Farm, which was off this week. Turnips were large and firm at $.89 per pound. Cleverly, the delicious turnip greens were bundled and sold separately at $2.50 for a large bunch. Stay tuned for turnips two ways……

Keswick Creamery had a crowd as they usually do given the generous samples they always have out on their table. I tried a few different types of their feta cheese, which until now, I hadn’t really appreciated. I bought a piece of feta with Herbs De Provence which was creamier than I would have thought and not overly salty as many feta can be.

Carrying over my new found interest in tat soi, I purchased a tat soi filled empanada (and a beef empanada) from Chris’s table-who most of you know as the crab cake guy. I specifically asked what type of crab they used for their crab cakes and was told that the cakes were made with blue crab-I’m not sure where they source it from this time of year but I do know that I’ll give them a try sometime soon. And yes, once again, I was at the table when crab cakes were sizzling in the pans, but none were out to sample (maybe them have dummy cakes that just sit in the pans yet none ever get into the sample cups?). Always a bridesmaid, never a bride when it comes to sampling those crab cakes-and I love crab cakes, rarely passing them over if they appear on a menu.

I also wanted to report on the eggs I bought last week from Water View-you may have noted a small truck near the oyster stall, inside the bank lot (with a very nice grey haired gentleman chatting up his customers). I have scrambled and poached these eggs and am happy to say that they yolks are deep yellow and very tasty. They sell for $4 per dozen as compared to $4.75 at Creekside Farm.

Last, I leave you with a photo of wedding soup I made last night. For those not familiar with wedding soup, it is chicken soup with small meatballs and dark greens, usually escarole, which I found at Sunnyside Farm. A huge gorgeous head for $2.50 (very good price) reminded me that I had homemade chicken stock and a package of ground pork at home. What else to do but make this absolutely delicious and hearty soup which originated in  the Italian-American neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, PA and Youngstown, OH. Loosely translated, the name “wedding soup” relates to the fact that meat and dark vegetables marry together very well. The popularity of wedding soup has spread outside of the North East U.S. to many parts of the country. In fact, even Campbell’s Soup sells it.

All I know is that my Aunt Gloria started making what we called escarole soup (wedding soup) for holidays many, many (many) years ago. When we celebrated Christmas or Easter at her home, all the kids slurped this soup- with her amazing tiny meatballs, with great delight. So -forgive me now I have to close-my soup is waiting.

Until the next At The Market, eat local when you can.

Tags: Washington, farmers markets by Ramona
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 I know many Houndstooth Gourmet readers enjoy local ingredients and seasonal cooking as much as I do, which is why I’m excited about a dining event series which I discovered when reading The List Are You On It (registration required).  The series joins the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG), local farmers  and you-to dine together. This is an excellent opportunity to support our local farmers and restaurants who support sustainable growing, humane farming and quality food.

Vermillion, Rustico, Evening Star Cafe and Tallulah will all be offering “Farm to Fork” dinners- kicking off with Rustico on Slater’s Lane in Alexandria. The four course dinner with one seating at 7pm on Feb. 6th, offers a delicious sounding menu crafted by Executive Chef Frank Morales. Featured farmers, who will talk about their products ,will include Babes in the Wood, Tree and Leaf and Firefly Farms.

Executive Chef Frank Morales will speak about how local farm products and relationships with farmers influence his cooking and menu choices.

First Course

Cauliflower Bisque with Preserved Fruit and Hearth Roasted Ciabatta

Second Course

Roasted Butternut Squash, Firefly Goat Cheese with Apple Butter Bernaise Relish

Third Course

Roasted Pork Loin Canneloni, Winter Cabbage and Glazed Carrrots and Rosemary Honey

Fourth Course

Pumpkin Creme Donut with Heavy Seas- Peg Leg Imperial Stout Hot Chocolate

$49pp + $15pp optional beer pairing. Tax and gratuity not included.

Babes in the Wood raises their pigs on 75 acres of pasture and woods in Dillwyn,VA. The pigs are given freedom to forage and roam in a low stress environment, and are not raised with antibiotics or hormones. According to Babes in the Wood, this gives their pork a distinctive flavor which superceeds intensively produced pork.

Firefly Farms from Maryland’s Allegheny Plateau is a familiar site at the Dupont Farmers Market. They make artisinal cheeses such as chevre, bouche noir, blue and most recently, New French-a St. Andre style cheese.

Tree and Leaf Farm, also a staple at the Fresh Farm Market, sustainably farms vegetables, herbs and flowers in Virginia’s Loudoun County. In addition to bringing their vegetables and herbs to our farmers markets, Tree and Leaf has a 21 week CSA which serves Loudoun County and the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington D.C.

Tags: events, farmers markets, Virginia, Restaurants by Ramona
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